Visa Information

Whilst living in Australia it is crucial that you always have a valid student visa. If you wish to extend your study you will need to be especially careful to make sure you continue to meet visa requirements. You must take responsibility for your own visa.

Know your student visa conditions

As an international student on a student visa, you have a number of visa conditions you must meet:

It is your responsibility to ensure that your passport and student visa are current, and that you apply for any renewal before it expires.

You must ensure that you are enrolled in at least one internal (face to face) course in each compulsory study period unless you are completing your last course in your program.

You must ensure that any external (for example, online or distance) courses you undertake do not exceed one third (33%) of your total program externally (includes online).

You cannot have more than a 28 day calendar gap between periods of enrolment, with the exception of the end of year break.

You are required to complete your program within the duration specified on you Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). This generally requires you to enroll in a full-time load per semester.

Your CoE may ONLY be extended in compassionate or compelling circumstances, for example if you have had an approved leave of absence or if it is part of an academic intervention strategy. You must have the required documentation to support your claims.

If you wish to vary your enrolment, you MUST first discuss your situation with your Program Director.

You must also ensure that you:

Attend classes

Demonstrate satisfactory performance

Enrol in accordance with your study plan

Do not work more than 40 hours per fortnight during teaching periods

Do not work in Australia before your program commences

Have current Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire length of your student visa

Inform the University of any change to your address or telephone contact details (your home country details should also be noted) within seven days.

As part of the visa renewal process, you will need to fill out a form to request a Confirmation of Enrolment. Remember, your CoE may only be extended in compassionate or compelling circumstances. The form will need to be approved/signed by your Program Director and accompanied with a new study plan approved by your program director. It must then be lodged at Campus Central and can take up to a week to process - so make sure you allow enough time before your visa expires. See more detail below in Frequently Asked Questions.

When ready, the CoE will be emailed to your student email account. You can then use it to apply for an extension of your student visa through the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

You must ensure that you are enrolled in at least one internal course in each compulsory study period and you must not undertake more than 33% of your total program externally (includes online).

In order to complete your program within the duration of your CoE, you should maintain full-time enrolment (usually 4 courses or 18 units per half year) unless there are exceptional reasons for not doing so and this is reflected in your Study Plan.

If you undertake less than a full-time load without University approval, you will not be permitted to extend your CoE (Enrolment policy - Clause 5 and 7). Australian law requires that an extension be granted only where there are compassionate or compelling circumstances. (These are generally circumstances beyond your control and which have an impact on your academic progress or well-being). Documentary evidence (eg. medical certificate) must support any application for an extension CoE.

Student visa regulations require that you maintain satisfactory attendance and satisfactory academic progress. The University will monitor your academic performance in accordance with the Academic Review Policy. The University's Academic Review Policy can be found in the Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual - refer to sections 10.1 to 10.5.

You can enrol in an external course (ie, online or by distance/correspondence) only if you are enrolled in at least one course in an internal mode (face to face) in a study period unless you are completing your last course in your program.

However you must not enrol in more than one third 33% of your program in an external mode over the duration of your entire program.

Lodge a Change of Address form within 7 days of the change of the address with Campus Central on your campus or change your address via myUniSA. It is very important that you do this as soon as possible as it is a condition of your student visa to keep your residential address and other contact details up to date.

Visa conditions require that International Students under 18 years of age have their accommodation and welfare arrangements approved by the University, unless they are living with an adult family member. The University will also be monitoring your academic progress.

Your Student Visa may be cancelled due to non-compliance with your student visa conditions. If your Student Visa is cancelled, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection may impose a three year exclusion period on future visa applications to Australia such as a tourist visa, or a temporary or permanent residency visa.

If you fail to adhere to the conditions of your current Student Visa you may have difficulty returning to Australia at a later date to complete your study.

You may change your program with the approval of the Program Directors concerned, usually after you have completed at least 6 months of your program.

If you are changing programs within a Division, seek approval from your current Program Director and the Program Director of your newly proposed program.

If you wish to change to a program in another Division, you will need to complete a new application and lodge it at Campus Central. It is advisable to first seek advice from the relevant Program Director. You may also wish to speak to Campus Central for further advice.

If you wish to change your program of study, it is your responsibility to check the fees that will be charged for your new program. You will need to pay fees that are applicable to the new program which may be more expensive than your first program.

Australian law requires the University to report all of the changes to your enrolment to the Department of Home Affairs. This will happen once you are accepted into a new program.

You need to take your new CoE to the Department of Home Affairs to have your visa information updated and in case you need to apply for a new visa for your new program (for example, if your new program finishes later than the one you were previously enrolled in).

If you are changing your program to a lower level (e.g. Masters to Bachelors) you will need to apply for a new student visa. Please see the DHA website for more details.

If you wish to transfer to another institution within the first 6 months of your study at UniSA you must apply for a Release Letter from UniSA International using the Application for Release Letter form.

Your application for a Release Letter does not guarantee that UniSA will release you from your program of study if you have not completed the first 6 months of study at UniSA. If you have completed 6 months of study at UniSA, you are entitled to transfer to another institution but should first withdraw from your UniSA program using the Withdrawal from Program form.

If you wish to change your level of qualification (eg, Masters to Bachelor), you may need to apply for a new student visa. Please see the DIBP website for more details.

If you do not complete your program within the duration of your current Student Visa, you will need to apply for a new Student Visa before your current one expires.

Follow these steps to apply for a new Student Visa:

Apply for a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) document. Please note that a new CoE can only be granted in special circumstances - please refer to the 'How do I extend my Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)' FAQ. Make sure you apply for your new CoE early and before your current visa expires. Your new CoE will be sent to your student email account.

You must complete your program of study within the length of time specified on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). The University will be able to extend your CoE document ONLY in limited circumstances, such as illness or where a student has remained fully enrolled but has not successfully completed all courses.

To apply for a new CoE, complete a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) request form available online or from Campus Central. Any CoE Request form must be supported by documentary evidence (eg. medical certificate from your doctor) and must also be approved by your Program Director. You will also require a new Study Plan which you must organise with your Program Director. The CoE Request form requires your Program Director's approval and signature.

When the form is complete you must lodge it at Campus Central, together with your new Study Plan. Also, you will have to bring along your passport to verify your present student visa status.

Your health cover should also be extended for the length of your expected visa (in most cases 15th March or 30th September). See more information about extending your Overseas student Health Cover.

For more information about your student visa responsibilities, please make a time to see an International Student Officer through Campus Central on your home campus.

The Australian Government wants overseas students in Australia to have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding place to study. Australia's laws promote quality education and consumer protection for overseas students. These laws are known as the ESOS framework and include the Education for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 and the National Code 2007.

If you need to take a Leave of Absence (LoA) from your studies you should speak first with a Student Adviser (International) as your leave might impact your current student visa arrangements. Download the form here.

International students may take a leave of Absence for up to six months, only on the grounds of ‘compassionate or compelling circumstances’ supported by documentary evidence. In some cases LoA can be extended beyond six months.

Compassionate or compelling circumstances are situations beyond the control of a student which have an impact on the student’s academic progress or wellbeing. Some instances:

Serious illness or injury

Bereavement of close family members

Major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country which has impacted on the student’s studies and require emergency travel

UniSA is unable to offer a prerequisite course

If your request for LoA is approved you will need to apply for a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)as your present one will be cancelled and you will not be able to enter Australia without an active CoE.